A Moveable Feast
by Ernest Hemingway
Tropic of Cancer
by Henry Miller
Both books are centered around life in Paris in the 20’s and 30’s respectively. Both are biographical (or at least semi.) I think there will be some similarities in theme (life lived well) but widely different approaches to relating them – in particular what is left out in Ernest’s case and what is left in in Henry’s.
I didn’t have any books on my reading list (any suggestions?) yesterday at the library but I do like reading about California and I do like Big Sur and anything coastal and so Henry Miller popped up. I’ve been to his library/book store in Big Sur but never read any of his books. At least now I can, this book being banned in the USA from 1934 to 1961.
So two books of Paris. One Mindful. One Mule. The first few pages have already seeped into my dreams of last night so they must be dangerous...
4 comments:
There is no question that I much prefer A Moveable Feast to anything else Hemingway wrote. The machismo that inflated as he grew older and just seemed silly is not present; this is more a (blissfully) unsentimental look back at a time that was undoubtedly sentimental.
I much prefer the witty observations and intellectual curiosity of this young Hemingway to the swagger of his more famous novels.
Justin: Hemingway’s title jumped at me because of your blog title, of course. I see (now) that’s it’s also listed as one of your favorite books. I just came across John Baxter’s book Immovable Feast: A Paris Christmas. It all seems linked together, Paris, Food, Blogs… Was this all apart of your thought process when naming your blog?
Nope. It was a total homage to the book. A moveable feast is one that can change dates. I like the idea that every single date should be its own party, or, if you're lucky, every single meal of every day should.
Tropic Of Cancer was “nearly fantastic!” I thought upon finishing. Or should I say, quasi fantastique. Hardly recommendable to anyone though – you’ve sorta gotta come to it on your own terms. And certainly no mums should be reading it, although I dare her – no seriously, don’t, unless you’re really comfortable with the c-word.
A Moveable Feast was lovely and nice with just a hint of sadness to remind us all to live humbly within our simple lives.
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